Khartoum — To mark one year since the brutal fighting in Sudan erupted in April 2023 between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), UN agencies and its partners have stated that Sudan has become one of the world's worst humanitarian tragedies in recent years and one of the largest internal displacement crises globally.
JRS reports that about 25 million people, almost half of Sudan's population need humanitarian assistance. An estimated 9 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan, including 4 million children; and over 14,000 women, men, and children have reportedly been killed.
"According to the United Nations, over 8 million people were forced to leave their homes in search of safety within and outside Sudan due to the conflict. Sexual and gender-based violence is dramatically on the rise and we witness a sharp increase in family separation. Together with the 3.8 million internally displaced persons from past internal conflict, Sudan currently faces the largest internal displacement crisis in the world and the most significant child displacement crisis, with more than 3 million children displaced inside and outside the country," notes JRS.
With the fighting still far from over, the war-torn country is facing yet another crisis as agencies warn that catastrophic levels of food insecurity are expected in parts of West Darfur, Khartoum, and among the IDPs. They maintain that the number of people facing acute food security has almost doubled to 18 million people - "10 million more people than the same time last year."
"Nearly 18 million people across Sudan - or almost one in three Sudanese - are currently facing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). This is the highest recorded share of people facing this level of food insecurity during Sudan's harvest season (October to February). Of this total, five million people are currently experiencing emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4), some of whom are facing catastrophic conditions (IPC Phase 5), particularly in West and Central Darfur. The most highly food insecure populations in Sudan have been identified in areas where conflict has been particularly intense, including in Al Jazirah, Darfur, Khartoum, and Kordofan," states JRS.
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In light of this looming crisis, the Jesuit humanitarian body that operates in both Chad and South Sudan, appeals for urgent facilitation of cross-border operations from Chad and South Sudan given the radically reduced production of Sudan's main staple cereals of sorghum and millet. It warns that if this is not critically handled the humanitarian crisis, especially in Darfur, is "otherwise only likely to get worse."
In urging the international community not to forget Sudan, JRS and its humanitarian partners are appealing for more and immediate funding to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs in the country. JRS notes that a paltry 7% of the funding required for the 2024 Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan has been received.
"We urge the international community not to abandon the people of Sudan, despite the focus on conflicts elsewhere. While there are many positive grassroots efforts to support, including peacebuilding initiatives by religious and traditional leaders and financial provision flowing from the Sudanese diaspora, we appeal urgently for much greater international humanitarian support to mitigate the enormity of the suffering of the people," they appeal.
